Steam-generator



2 Sheets Sheet 1.

(N0 Model.)

V. H. ERNST. STEAM GENERATOR.

ATTOR N EY6 1n: onlus Firms co. woraumo.. wAsmNcfoN, D, cA

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

VICTOR ll. ERNST, OF JERSEY CITY, NEIY JERSEY.

i STEAM-G EN ERATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 587,683, dated August 3, 1897.

Application filed March 27, 1895. Serial No. 585,111. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, Vieron H. ERNST, a citizen of the United States of America, and a resident of Jersey City, Hudson county, State of New Jersey, have invented a Steam-Generator, of which the following is a specification.

The object ot my invention is to construct a steam-generator which shall be simple, light, and strong and which will generate steam rapidly without danger of explosion and which generally has qualities adapting it for use upon steam-motor vehicles, launches, dac.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a vertical section of myimproved steam-generator. Fig. 2 is a sectional plan view on the line 2 2, Fig. l. Fig. 3 is a face view of the water-spreader. Fig. Ll is a plan view of the bottom plate of the burner detached; and Fig. 5 is a plan view of the ignition-cup and lighting-spider, which also serves, in connection with the bottom plate, as an air-supply regulator.

My steam-genera tor is in this instance constructed with vertical fire-tubes, and las a fuel I prefer to use oil, the oil-burner. being arranged at the bottom of the generator.

A is the outer shell of the generator, having riveted or otherwise secured to its upper and lower ends the iianged top and bottom tube-sheets B and B. Both tube-sheets are formed with corresponding annular steps b b', as illustrated in Fig. l. The tubes D are expanded or otherwise secured into the horizontal portions of the steps of the two sheets. This annular stepped construction ot the sheets is strong and, while enabling me to use tubes of uniform length, gives me a construction of combustion chamber C well adapted for the best distribution of the heat.

Outside the cylindrical casing A of the generator is a second casing a to form a jacket to prevent radiation. To the top is fitted the inclosing dome E to form the draft-box E'. A chimney c, of any suitable shape, carries oli the products of combustion.

The center of the upper tube-sheet B -is provided with a stuffing-box piece F. Into the under side oi' this is screwed or otherwise secured a holding member f, in the form of a tube, which extends downward into the generator, where it has screwed into it a tubular piece G, which I term the water-distributer. Through the stufng-box of the piece F, the tube f, and spreader G there extends a stern H, having below the under side of the spreader G an annular flange h. The lower end h of the stem H is guided in a foot-piece t', secured tothe upper side of the lower tube-sheet B'. The stem H is threaded at H', where it passes through the upper part of the tubular piece G, being fitted there int-o corresponding threads in the distributer G, so that by turning the stem II in one direction or the other the flange h can be caused to approach toward or be moved away from the lower face of the piece G.- The upper end of the stem H may be squared, as shown in Fig. l, for the reception of a tool to turn it.

Between the lowerpart of the tubular piece G and the stem H, immediately above the flange h, there is left an annular passage or clearance, into which opensa lateral watersnpply pipe J. This pipe enters through a stuffing-box j, fitted into the shell A and jacket-casing a. v The lower face of the tubular piece G has immediately over the liange 71 of the stem a spreading flange g, preferably greater in diameter than the diameter of the iange h.

0n turning the stem H to move the iiange h away from or toward its seat the quantity of water supplied to the generator may be thoroughly regulated. By bringing the flange h up to the flange g any scale formation there may be crushed or ground off and blown out by the water-pressure.

As it is my intention so to operate the generator as to convert the water into steam as fast as it is admitted, I so construct the flanges h and g as to spray the water all over the bottom tube-sheet and the lower ends of the tubes, as indicated by arrows in the drawings. For this purpose I prefer to form on the lower face of the ange g radiating grooves g', as illustrated in Figs. l and 3, and on the upper face of the flange h similar but shorter grooves h2, Fig. l, so as to get a thorough spraying effect, as the arrows will indicate.

The steam may be taken o from the generator at any suitable point-as, for instance, as indicated by the dotted lines at X, Fig. 1.

I will now describe the construction of the burner, which is fitted to the lower end of IOO the generator through the medium of the l'langed ring K. This burner comprises an annular vaporizing-chamber L, with a cen` tral distributing-plate M, below which is the burner -jet N, controlled by the screwed needle-valve O. This burner-jet N is part of a transverse pipe N', into v and through which oil passes fromthe inletn. This transverse pipe N' communicates by the upright branches n with the under side of the annular vaporizingchamber L. To the under side of the burner is secured in any suitable manner, as by means of headed screws s, entering downward extensions of the branches n, a bottom plate S, Figs. l and 4, with the central opening s' and radial openings s2. I prefer to form the branches n separate from the cross-pipe N' and to provide the latter with enlargements n to lit over the branches, the passages being made in the parts accordingly. Flanges s4 on the bottom plate S t over the lower ends of the branches n and hold the parts together. A ring or lange s3 closes at the side the space between the bottom plate S and the annular vaporizing-chamber L. The central opening s' in the bottom plate S is closed by the ignition-cup P, secured to or forming part of a spider P', vprovided with openings p', corresponding with the openings s2in the'bottom plate. By turning this ignition-cup and spider the openings p and s2 may be made to register more or less to admit more or less air to the burner or may be turned wholly out of register, so as to out off all the supply of air, as will be readily un derstood.

The stem ofthe valve O passes down through a stuffing-box o and has a squared head outside the stuffing-box, and the bottom of the ignition-cup P is provided with a screw-plug p, upon removing which the valve-stem O may be adjusted t0 any desired position to regulate the flame.

Lugs m, Figs. l and 2, retain the spreadingplate M in position, notches m being provided in the edge of the plate M to pass the lugs, but on turning the plate to bring the notches out of register with the lugs, as shown in Fig. 2, the lugs will hold the plate in position. The edge of the spreading-plate resting upon the inner edge of the annular vaporizing-chamber has radial slits cut in it, as shown in Fig. 1 and indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 2, for the thorough distribution of the gas-flame into the combustion-chamber C of the generator.

I claim as my invention- 1. A steam-generator provided with tire-y tubes, a bottom tube-sheet with annular steps highest at the center and forming the top of the comb ustion-chamber, in combination with 6o.

a watenfeed spreader adapted to spray the water over the said tube-sheet and the ends of the tubes, all substantially as described.

2. A steam-generator provided with fire-l tubes, a bottom tube-sheet with annular steps,

5. A steam-generator, having a holding 8o member extending from the upper tube-sheet with a threaded and flanged spreader at its lower end, a threaded stem passing through the spreader and provided with a cooperating iange, means for supplying water to the spreader and a guide-step for the stem on the lower tube-sheet, substantially as described.

G. A steam-generator having a water-supply pipe and a spreader with a flange having radial grooves, and an adjustable stem pro- 9c:l

vided with a coperatin g ange, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presenceA of two subscribing witnesses. y

VICTOR I-I. ERNST.

lVitnesses:

EDITH J. GRIswoLD, HUBERT HowsoN. 

